Feeder for explosive-engines.



N0. 684,562. Patented Oct. I5, ISUI.

G. V. AHARA.

FEEDER FUR EXPLUSlVE ENGINES.

(No Model.)

[NVE/WOR 4UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE V. AlIARA, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

FEEDER FOR EXPLOS|VEENGINES.

srnorrcarron formi-.1g par-t er Letters Patent No. 684,662, dated october 15, 1901.

Application filed June 12, 1901. Serial No. 64,285. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE V. AHARA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county of Rock, State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeders forExplosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a feeder forexplosive-engines, and particularly to a structure adapted to Vary the amount of fuel mixed with the air fed to such an engine.

The invention is adapted for application to explosive-engines of the type in which the speed is governed by omitting or cutting out explosions of the fuel and in which when the diiferent parts are properly adjusted the maximum power can be secured with a certain amount of fuel to a given quantity of air. By the use of the term fuel herein reference is made to gasolene or any similar hydrocarbon body ordinarily used in connection with explosive-engines which is mixed with a quantity of air to produce an explosive mixture to be ignited within the cylinder of the engine. As the quantity of this fuel relative to a given quantity of air is diminished a mixture is obtained which finally gives no explosion, and as the predetermined relative quantity of this fuel is increased the explosive action is rendered much higher. Therefore it will be seen that mixtures of the fuel and air when properly determined will govern the power applied to the piston, and consequently the speed of the engine, under a fixed relation of parts. In explosive-engines governed by cutting out or omitting explosions the plan usually adopted is to admit a certain quantity of fuel into the engine-cylinder for each explosion, this quantity of fuel being such that when mixed with the quantity of air drawn into the cylinder during one suction-stroke will give a maximum efficiency to the engine. This gives a uniform and efiicient mixture for each explosion, except for the first explosion after one or more charges have been omitted. This first explosion after a cut-out will always be a weak or poor one, because a larger quantity of air than usual is mixed with the regular quantity of fuel When an engine of this for an explosion.

character has a certain clearance-space and several explosions occur in succession, each exhaust-stroke following an expansion-stroke 5 5 leaves the clearance-space filled with burned gases. At the end of the following suctionstroke the quantity of oxygen or air in the cylinder is that which came in during the suction-stroke. Vhen the charge is cut out 6o bythe governor, the exhaust-gases from the last explosion are almost entirely expelled, leaving the clearance-space at the beginning of the suction-stroke following a cut-out filled with air. At the end of a suction-stroke following a cut-out the quantity of air in the cylinder is that which came into the cylinder during the suction-stroke plus that which was in the clearance-space at the beginning of the stroke. Vith a certain per cent. clear- 7o ance this would be about the same per cent.

of excess of air after a cut-out over the quantity of air for an explosion when the clearance-space has been filled with burned gases. Vith a certain amount of fuel for each explosion the iirst explosion after a cut-out has less fuel in proportion to the air than other explosions. If the rst explosion after a cut-out has the proper proportion of fuel to the air, the following explosions before an- 8o other cut-out have an excess of fuel in proportion to the air and have therefore not a high efficiency. If, on the other hand, 4the explosions following a first explosion after a cut-out have the proper quantity of fuel for high efficiency, this quantity of fuel is not enough for the first explosion following a cut-out, and the explosion will be a weak one, often being missed entirely.

The purpose of this invention is to avoid 9o varying the mixture of fuel and air by providing for an excess of fuel in relation to the quantity of air for the first explosion occurring after a cut-out to compensate for the greater quantity of air present in the cylinder.

The invention also has for an object to provide means by which the quantity of fuel to be drawn into the cylinder after a cut-out may be varied depending upon the length of the time during which the suction or feed of roo fuel to the engine is omitted or cut out.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a Vertical section with parts in elevation of a portion of an explosive-engine adjacent to the inletvalve for the fuel communicating with the engine-cylinder. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. l, illustrating a modified form of the invention; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing another modified application of the invention.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. l, the letter A indicates the casing forming a part of an engine, which is provided with an aperture A', controlled by a valve A2 at the inlet-port for the cylinder of an explosive-engine, and communicates with the main air-inlet passageA4 of the engine. This valve A2 is ordinarily closed by any desired meansfor instance, a spring A-and is opened by the suction .of the engine-piston in moving away from the valve, so as to draw inward the explosive mixture composed of fuel and air, while in the return movement of the piston the valve is closed and the mixture placed under compression, as is well known in this art. In Fig. l I have shown at B a casing comprising the feeding device, which is formed at its upper portion with a fuel-reservoir B", having a dischargeopening B2 below the fuel-level therein and valve-controlled port B3, from which port a feed-tube B4 extends upward into the space or passage adjacent to the inlet-opening A.

'Any preferred construction of valve may be used in this connection; but I have shown in the present instance a needle-valve C, adjusted by means of a threaded portion C and provided at its outer end with a handle C2, While the stem of said valve passes through a packing-sleeve C3, secured to the casing B in any desired manner. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. l there is provided a collecting passage or chamber D,having one end communicating with the atmosphere above the fuellevel of the reservoir and the other end extending downward to the lowerportions of the casing B and thence upward upon an inclined plane, as shown at D', where it communicates with a feed-tube D2, extending parallel to and in contact with the fuel-tube B4, which tube is provided with an opening B5, communicating with the feed-tube D2. It will thus be seen that when the valve is set to permit lthe continuous flow of any desired quantity of fuel at each suction stroke of the engine this amount would pass into the fuel-tube B4 and be drawn upward with the proper amount of air to effect the explosive mixture for use in the engine, While if the feed of fuel be omitted or cut out the fuel continues to flowinto the tube BfL and not being drawn upward by suction into the cylinder fiows through the aperture B5 downward into the'inclined portion D of the passage D. Sufficient fuel will collect in this passage depending upon the time interval between the suction-strokes of the engine, so that when the next charge of fuel is drawn into the engine an excess of fuel in proportion to the air is secured sufficient to compensate for the cooling of the cylinder and the air which may be therein, and thus produces an explosive action equal in character with the regular action of the englne.

The fuel in the reservoir B is maintained at a predetermined level by any desired means. For instance, a partition E may be used and placed at one side of the outlet-pasv sage B2 from the reservoir B. The feed-tube E from the fuel-tank communicates at one side of this partition, filling the spa-ce to the level of the top of the partition, over which the excess fuel flows and is conveyed back to the tank by a suitable discharge-pipe E2, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 the feed-tubes B4 and D2 have been omitted and the casing B slightly changed in construction, so that the discharge of fuel from the valve is directly into the collectingpassage D, which is provided with a horizontally-disposed section D2 and an upwardlyinclined portion D4, so that the charge of fuel passes into the passage and is drawn inward with the air in the suction-stroke of the engine. When a stroke is omitted, it Will be readily seen that the amount of fuel which collects in a portion D3 ofthe passage will be much greater than in the regular operation ofthe engine, and consequently the increased proportion of fuel to the amount of air fed is secured, as described in connection with Fig. l.

In the modified application of the invention shown in Fig. et a casing G is used and provided with a reservoir G' for the fuel, having at its lower portion an opening G2, communicating with the collecting-passage G2, communicating with the atmosphere, which is inclined downwardly, so as to form astorage-chamber for the oil, and communicates at its end Gf4 with the suction from the cylinder. rlhe opening G2 is suitably controlled by means of the needle-valve H,operated by the handle H and threaded in the casing, as usual.

`In this, as in the other forms described, a

regular flow of fuel into the passage continues during the regular operation of the engine-cylinder; but as soon as this is cut out for one or more strokes an excess of fuel is fed into the passage, so as to secure the desired action upon the first following explosion. It will be seen that in each form of the invention herein illustrated during the regular stroke or operation of the engine-piston the suction thereof draws a predetermined quantity of fuel and air into the cylinder to form the explosive mixture, and as soon as one or more explosions are omitted or cut out the fuel begins to collect in the passage and IIO IZO

finally rises to the same level as the fuel in the reservoir, so that this quantity of fuel is just sufficient for a full explosion under the 'changed conditions in the cylinder wherein the exhaust-gases have been expelled, and the cylinder-walls are somewhat cooler than when the engine is working under full load, thereby requiring a greater per cent. of fuel to produce an explosion equal in effect to the regular explosion of the engine under its continued working condition. In Fig. et the feeder is particularly adapted for use upon that type of explosive-engine in which the exhaust-valve is not held open while the eX- plosion is cut out, but the supply of fuel is cut off to effect a similar result. To adapt my invention to use with this type of engine, it is desirable to apply thereto a valve controlling the discharge end of the feed-passage for the fuel, as shown at I, which valve is usually held closed by the spring I and adapted to be normally held open by the rockarm I3 bearing on the nut l2 to compress said spring. When an explosion is to be cutout, this valve is closed by spring I as the rockarm I3 and connection I4 from the governor normally engaging behind the nut I2 upon the extended end of the valve-stein are shifted by the governor.

The invention therefore contemplates feeding the fuel in such a manner as to secure a practically even explosion or stroke, thereby avoiding the damaging effect upon the connections `and parts of the engine produced by explosions of varying pressure, and the working power of the engine is maintained at a constant strength, which is very material in many classes of machinery to be driven thereby.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration of the several parts of this feeding device and that the saine may be applied to any engine found convenient or desirable and that the changes adapting the device to such application are substantially such as should come within ordinary mechanical skill.

I-Iaving described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;-

1. A feeder for explosive-engines comprising a fuel-reservoir having a feed-outlet below the fuel-level therein to effect a continuous feed, a passage communicating with the atmosphere and with said outlet from said reservoir to receive fuel therefrom, and means adapted to control the communication between said reservoir and said passage; substantially as specified.

2. A. feeder for explosiveengines comprising a casing having a reservoir at its upper portion, a passage below said reservoir communicating with the atmosphere, a fuel-passage extending from below the fuel--level of said reservoir to said first-named passage, and means for regulating the capacity of a normally open port to control the flow of fuel through said fuel-passage; substantially as specified.

3. A feeder for explosive-engines comprising a casing having a reservoir at its upper portion, a passage below said reservoir and extended at one end to communicate with the atmosphere above the fuel-level therein, a fuel-passage extending from below the fuellevel of said reservoir to said passage, means for controlling the flow of fuel through said fuel-passage, inlet and outlet pipes communicating with said reservoir, and a partition in said reservoir adapted to maintain therein a predetermined level of fuel and to determine the fuel-level in the passages; substantially as specified.

et. In a feeder for explosive-engines, acasing having at its upper portion a fuel-reservoir and in its lower portion a passage communicating with the atmosphere and extending below said reservoir together with a normally open fuel-channel communicating between said reservoir and passage; substantially as specified.

5. A feeder ing a casing having at its upper portion a reservoir and a passage beneath said reservoir and communicating at one end with the atmosphere above the top of said reservoir, a fuelfeed tube, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel thereto and to said passage which communicates with said fuel-tube at a point below the upper end thereof 5 substantially as specified.

6. In a feeder for explosive-engines, a casing having a reservoir therein, a partition Within said reservoir provided with a fuelpassage and a passage communicating with the atmosphere extending therethrough, and inlet and outlet pipes communicating with said reservoir upon opposite sides of said partition; substantially as specified.

7. In a feeder for explosive-engines, a casing having a fuel-reservoir therein provided with a continuously open gravity-feed outlet in its lower portion, and a passage having a portion communicating with the atmosphere and with said reservoir-outlet, whereby fuel is adapted to collect by gravity in said passage; substantially as specied.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE V. AHARA.

Witnesses:

R. D. GORDON, Giro. L. WrLKrNsoN.

for explosive-engines compris-4 IOO IIO 

